UK Jews meet PM

by: Leslie Bunder - Last
updated: 2007-06-21

JLC meets PM

A delegation of members from the Jewish community have meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair to express their concern over the safety of Jewish students and the community in general following proposals by trade unions to boycott Israel.

At the last formal meeting between Blair and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) before he stands down as Prime Minister, the delegation included business tycoon Gerald Ronson, Board of Deputies president and JLC chairman Henry Grunwald and the PM's Middle East envoy Lord Levy.

"Our community has been able to rely on the support of the Prime Minister throughout his tenure and he has repeatedly proved to be a true friend of Israel as well," said Grunwald. "However our community is now facing a different type of threat  a recent attempted boycott of Israel by members of the University and College Union will result in Jewish students being harassed and bullied on campus. There is need for direct action  not just on the floor of union debates but on university campuses themselves. We are grateful for the Prime Ministers robust criticism of such boycotts and we call on him to do whatever he can to secure the safety of Jewish students on campus."

Jeremy Newmark, JLC chief executive added: "We also discussed a range of issues affecting the community including communal security, the situation in the Middle East and Israel boycott policies adopted by the National Union of Journalists and UNISON. The Prime Minister could not have been more supportive."